Finalist for the 2016 Cliff Harris Award, presented to the top small college defensive
player in the country

by Stephanie (Coartney) Dulaney '10

Breaking school records looks easy when you watch exercise science major and Bearcat
defensive linebacker AJ Wentland '17 take the field. He’s one of only two Bearcats ever to receive the title of GLVC Defensive
Player of the Year. For three years in a row, he shattered the university’s record
for most tackles with 421 total stops during his career as a Bearcat. He’s also been
named GLVC Defensive Player of the Week six times. AJ’s success in football has brought
him much more than accolades, however. It’s helped him become the leader he always
knew he could be.

AJ first came to McKendree with his sights set on being a part of the university’s
football program. He found a family in the close-knit group of students and coaches,
who would later become the most memorable part of his McKendree experience. “The best
part about being on the football team is the lifelong connections and friends I’ve
made,” he said. “My friends, coaches, and teammates have done nothing but support
me, and I hope I left an impact on their lives like they did on mine.”

That supportive team environment is what AJ says helped him garner so many honors,
both locally and regionally. It also spurred him on to set new McKendree records in
number of career tackles, blasting past the previous record of 295, and tackles per
game, earning 22 stops in the 2015 season-opener alone.

His most memorable game was his last one as a Bearcat, in which McKendree dominated
Truman State 41-14. It was the perfect way to round out four years of hard work, commitment,
and supporting one another on the team. AJ plans to keep football a central part of
his life even after graduation, either continuing to play professionally or seeking
positions in coaching or strength and conditioning.

“McKendree has made me the man I have grown to be today. I’ve learned a lot as a leader
on the field and in the classroom. I also have made the best friends I could ask for
here, and it has definitely made me a better person.”